Welcome to Stroupe Gym on Webb School of Knoxville's campus. It's named after basketball coach Elliott Stroupe.
"I would say my teachers back in high school, if they saw what was happening now, they would be in disbelief," Stroupe said through a chuckle.
From a young age, Stroupe was always on a court.
"That's the first thing I encountered, a basketball and a gym."
Stroupe spent a lot of time at the boys club. It was an escape.
"I came from a difficult background, I lived in a housing project for some time, some apartments in North Knoxville," Stroupe reflected. "The boys club saved my life as well as a lot of people's lives."
Stroupe was able to leave the neighborhood he grew up in, graduated from the University of Tennessee and returned to the sport he loved, now as a coach.
"Those poor kids that got me first," Stroupe said.
Stroupe learned quickly, winning two Junior Pro national championships and one day, Webb came calling.
"He said I think you would be a good fit if you'd like to take a look at our school."
He coached high school first then went to middle school.
"Blink your eyes and it's 36 years later."
36 years coaching and teaching at Webb and It's the teaching that left such a lasting impact on him. Even now that he's retired, Stroupe leads a tutoring program where students from Webb help those at the Boys and Girls Club. All these years later, he's giving back to where it all began, helping kids just like him.
"I think especially as you get older there's a different kind of mindset. You're in the 4th quarter and although I would have felt good regardless but again the acknowledgment. It's a great great feeling, you know, everybody has some tough tough days and all I have to think about is where I started and where I ended up and that goes away really quickly."